


Bigger Than The Both Of Us

by Ultra



Category: Angel: the Series, Leverage
Genre: Brother Feels, Brotherly Love, Brothers, End of the World, Episode: s05e22 Not Fade Away, Gen, Goodbyes, Help, Serious, pre-Leverage, warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-08
Updated: 2013-03-08
Packaged: 2018-08-08 23:52:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7778491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ultra/pseuds/Ultra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The fact Lindsey has come to see Eliot proves things just got serious.<br/>Timeline: Angel 5.22 / pre-Leverage.</p>
<p>(Originally written for telaryn and based on her prompt "This isn't about me. It isn't even about us.")</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bigger Than The Both Of Us

Eliot Spencer always knew when he was being followed, though sometimes it was harder to tell who exactly he had on his tail. Tonight was different, because the man at his back was one that he knew, almost better than he knew himself.

“You better have a damn good reason for being here,” he growled, stopping from walking but not turning around at all.

When no reply came, he couldn’t help but give in. After so many years of not laying eyes on his twin even once, it was strange and oddly comforting to see Lindsey stood at the other end of the alley. He looked a little different, more like Eliot than he had in years, with the longer hair and lacking in the smart suit his lawyer self always favoured.

“Nice to see you too, El,” Lindsey replied at last as he stepped into the one patch of light between them. “What, no hug?”

Eliot folded his arms across his chest, his mouth set in a firm line. This was no social call, Lindsey wasn’t that dumb. When they parted ways some years ago, it was very clear that there was no going back, at least not unless the situation was teetering on the edge of life and death. Even then, it was going to be a gamble as to whether or not blood proved thicker than water these days.

“I don’t have time for niceties,” the hitter shook his head almost imperceptibly, concentrating on staring down the brother he could love and hate in equal measure if he set his mind to it. “Tell me what you want, Linds, and then walk away.”

“This isn’t about me,” his twin told him definitely, a grim look settling over his face as he stepped forward one more pace. “It ain’t even about us. It’s about somethin’ much bigger.”

A whole bunch of scenarios ran through Eliot’s head at the sound of those words. A lot of things were bigger than the two of them, insignificant little specks that they were in the grand scheme of things. Sure, he’d become Moreau’s right hand man, and his brother had been a big name in Wolfram and Hart. In their own fields they were legends. In the world at large, they were just two kids from the corner of no and where trying to get by any way they could.

“Explain,” Eliot said shortly, watching Lindsey’s expression carefully.

A person ought to be able to trust their own twin brother, if no-one else. When it came to something that was apparently so significant and so serious, Eliot would like to think Lindsey would tell only the truth, to him anyway. He hated that he couldn’t quite be sure.

“There’s a battle coming,” he said then. “Hell, damnation, the whole thing’s gonna come rainin’ down on L.A.,” he explained. “I don’t want you caught up in that.”

“You’re serious?” Eliot almost laughed at his brother’s explanation. “You’re here to protect me from, what? A few demons? I taught you how to fight like you do!”

“It ain’t about that!” Lindsey’s voice exploded like a crack of thunder down the alley way, scaring a stray cat into scrambling for cover. “This is the real deal, El. The last stand. The pure essence of the Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart, versus a handful of folks that think they can do just a little speck o’ good in this dumb ol’ world,” he explained in a more moderate tone, his thumb and index finger showing the minor amount of good he thought this whole plan would do. “This time, I’m fighting the right side.”

“You’ll all die,” Eliot told him flatly, knowing it was the truth, knowing that Lindsey knew it too.

A look of understanding passed between them. This wasn’t a warning, not really. Lindsey dressed it up that way because it was easier somehow, easier than the truth. The fact of the matter was this was the last face-off these twins were going to find the time for, at least in this world. This was goodbye.

“You want me to...”

“No.”

Eliot didn’t offer twice, because he knew there was no point. If Lindsey wanted help, he’d ask for it, and that wasn’t what this was about. He could handle himself, and he was ready for the consequences when the worst happened. It seemed like it was going to this time.

The hug that followed was not quite as brief as they planned, though no tears were shed nor sentimentalities spoken. When they parted it was with renewed strength and grim determination to do what they must.

“Just do me one favour,” said Lindsey, even as he started to back up a step down the alley. “Believe what you see with Moreau. Sources are saying he is what I always thought,” he confirmed. “Power can blind, El, I learned that first hand. Don’t let it happen to you.”

He was gone into the shadows before Eliot had ever figured out how to answer.

It was the last time Eliot would see his brother alive, and when Lindsey fell for the final time, he knew. A thousand miles away and hours out of time, but something broke inside of Eliot and he knew. His eyes looked up to meet Moreau’s and the devil smiled back at him. He believed what he saw, the dark soul that could not belong to any human.

Eliot’s words were meant for a man who could no longer hear when he whispered then;

“Thank you.”


End file.
